1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved form of a protective golf bag that prevents damage to golf clubs and other equipment carried in the bag during travel to and from the golf course. This invention also relates to an improved golf bag that efficiently organizes golf equipment for transport.
2. Description of the Prior Art
A variety of modifications have been proposed to conventional golf bags to provide increased protection to the golf clubs and make the bag more useful. For example, my original U.S. Pat. No. 4,767,001 discloses a rigid golf bag having an upper portion with vertically hinged upper halves that latch and unlatch to protect the club heads and U.S. Pat. No. 4,522,299 discloses a rigid golf bag having a releasable rigid cover that encloses the golf club heads during transport.
Other examples of modifications to conventional golf bags are disclosed in the following: U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,924,183; 2,590,178; 2,760,782; 2,837,346; 3,165,330; 3,172,681; 3,471,162; 3,738,677; 3,746,204; 3,941,398; 4,012,051; 4,017,091; 4,053,169; 4,078,594; 4,319,616; 4,340,102; 4,383,563, 4,442,937; 4,538,728; Des. 177,799; Des. 272,285; Des. 273,905; Canadian Pat. No. 671,291 and U.K. patent application No. 2,134,797 published Aug. 22, 1984.
Although a large number of such modifications to conventional golf bags have been disclosed in the prior art, a need still remains for a golf bag that will provide adequate protection for golf clubs during transport and is capable of carrying all of the articles a golfer will typically need for a round of golf. While my initial patent went a long way in fulfilling this need, the present invention provides a marked improvement over that disclosure as well as the examples of others set forth above.